The Song from Somewhere Else

This children's book is the perfect stepping stone to a lifelong appreciation of art. Each major art period unfolds in a gently colored spread featuring famous artists and artworks while other spreads present specific scenes that incorporate similar details. In this book, kids will learn how the earliest artists mixed pigments; how ancient civilizations worshiped their gods; how religion drove artistic efforts in the middle ages; and scientific discoveries inspired Renaissance painters and sculptors. They'll observe artists playing key roles in revolutions both historic and cultural and they'll visit a modern museum to see what today's artists are creating. Packed with endless possibilities for learning, this book offers kids a new way to engage with and understand the art they experience every day.

This fun and educational journey through art history shows young readers how the materials artists use in their work have evolved over the centuries, around the world. The earliest artists wielded bones, pieces of ivory, and wooden sticks to create works that tell us much about how ancient civilizations lived and thought. Today artists are using found objects to make elaborate pieces that are equally revealing. Aimed at young readers, this fascinating book focuses on 13 kinds of artistic materials to trace the development of artistic expression throughout history. Illustrated spreads explore how precious metals and gems were used by ancient Egyptian artisans and how Greek sculptors created beautiful vessels out of clay. It reveals the importance of cast metals to the Romans, and glass to the builders of Gothic cathedrals and Byzantine mosaics. The book also shows how the same materials were used by artists centuries apart: paper as parchment for illuminated manuscripts but also for artist books. Chapters explore the intriguing histories of paint and drawing, ranging from ground pigment to acrylic and from charcoal sticks to pen and ink. Along the way readers will become familiar with celebrated and lesser-known works of art and the people who created them. Informative and entertaining, this latest addition to the 13 Children Should Know series for children reveals how resourcefulness and ingenuity are the artist’s most precious tools.

Whether it's Leonardo da Vinci's mysterious Mona Lisa, Vermeer's vibrant depictions of light, Van Gogh's mesmerizing brush strokes, or Matisse's playful cutouts, the art featured here is introduced in a format and style that will appeal to children. The book proceeds chronologically, accompanied by a timeline to offer helpful historical context. Each artist's entry includes a concise biography, beautiful reproductions of major works, and lively texts that speak directly to young readers. Games, quizzes and other activities help readers learn about the significant contributions of each artist in a way that is both fun and inspiring. Additional information about museums, suggestions for further reading, and online resources will satisfy the most curious minds.

When their father is suddenly taken away, the children's lives change overnight. Unable to afford their London home, the family must move to a small cottage in the Yorkshire countryside. Hiding their sadness from their mother, Roberta, Peter and Phyllis roam the fields all day. Every morning they can be seen waving as the 9.15 train roars past, imagining that it will can carry their love to their father, wherever he may be. The trio become a familiar sight and their bravery and quick-thinking avert a railway disaster. There is a kind old gentleman passenger never fails to wave back - little do the children realise how much his friendship will mean to them, especially in solving the mystery to their father's disappearance.

When Dumbledore arrives at Privet Drive one summer night to collect Harry Potter, his wand hand is blackened and shrivelled, but he does not reveal why. Secrets and suspicion are spreading through the wizarding world, and Hogwarts itself is not safe. Harry is convinced that Malfoy bears the Dark Mark: there is a Death Eater amongst them. Harry will need powerful magic and true friends as he explores Voldemort's darkest secrets, and Dumbledore prepares him to face his destiny. These new editions of the classic and internationally bestselling, multi-award-winning series feature instantly pick-up-able new jackets by Jonny Duddle, with huge child appeal, to bring Harry Potter to the next generation of readers. It's time to PASS THE MAGIC ON